The Billionaire I Never Married

Chapter Five

Emily's First Person P.O.V

"Miss Hayes, your four o’clock appointment is here."

The knock on my office door made my heart leap.

"Come in," I said, trying to keep calm. I knew who it was before the door even opened.

Grayson Cole.

"Before we get started, I have just one question for you, Mr. Cole."

Those stormy gray eyes locked onto mine, sending a jolt of something I refused to name straight through me.

"Mr. Cole is my father," he noted with a sigh.

I'm going to have to play this smart. This could turn into a very long—or very short—meeting, depending on how the next few minutes go.

"But ask away, Princess," he continued.

My heart took a quick stab at the familiar nickname. He strolled to the chair across from my desk, sinking into it like he owned the place.

"What exactly are you doing here?"

"We’re here to discuss the community outreach proposal. Isn’t that why you’re here?"

I studied his face for a moment.

"I’m serious, Grayson. What is this? You can't expect me to believe that you went through the hassle of making an appointment with me just to discuss a proposal that has nothing to do with you. Are you serious?"

"Oh, I’m very serious," he said. And he meant it. "This project is essential to me and my company’s five-year plan."

I hate that smile.

But I hate how much Danny looks like him even more.

Same nose. Same deep eyes.

It’s messing with my head.

And I still need to get twenty thousand dollars in two days. I haven’t slept in three.

"Why are you really here?" I press.

"I came with a proposal."

I frown. "What kind of proposal?"

He pulls a thin file from his coat and slides it across the desk.

I don’t touch it. "What’s that?"

"Open it."

I do—and my breath catches.

Grayson’s name is on sixty-two percent of our company stock. Signed and stamped.

I look up, screeching, "It was you?"

He nods. "Yep."

My voice rises. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"I don’t think so."

"This is my father’s company, Grayson!"

"Was."

My nails dig into my palms. "Why would you do this?"

He leans back, calm. "Nothing personal. It’s just business."

I slam the file shut. "Bullsh*t."

He raises a brow.

"This is payback," I say. "For what happened five years ago."

"You mean when your father forced me to leave town?"

I freeze.

My throat tightens, but I keep my face blank. "None of that matters anymore. You could’ve walked away. Instead, you bought the one thing my dad cares about most."

"He still has his heart," Grayson says quietly. "Barely."

I stand. "How dare you bring that up."

He stands too and doesn’t flinch. "You think I care?"

I grit my teeth. "You’re sick."

For a moment, the room spun.

"What exactly do you want, Grayson?" I demanded sharply.

His gaze locked onto mine, and I could feel the intensity.

"Oh, just the usual. Power. Respect. And maybe a little payback."

The words stung, but I refused to let him see it.

"I’m a professional. I couldn’t have built my company up from nothing if I wasn’t. Besides that," Grayson continued, "you seem to be a lot more upset with me than I am with you, although I have no idea why."

Oh no he didn’t.

I straightened in my chair, studying him with obvious disbelief.

"Are you serious? Are you actually going to sit there and ask me that?"

"Wait a minute," Grayson said, holding up his hand before I could go any further. "You really are. Why would you be upset with me?"

That was certainly an unexpected twist on the situation. Especially since he wasn’t the one whose family and friends mocked her for thinking she could actually be loved.

No, he wasn’t the one who decided to sleep with his soon-to-be wife’s sister and then humiliate said bride-to-be.

No, he wasn't the one.

Men really are scum. Every single last one of them.

But I know his game, and he won't win with me.

"I’ve got a hundred thousand reasons to be upset with you, Grayson Cole. But that's not what we're here to talk about," I straightened in my chair, meeting his gaze head-on. "If you think you’re going to tear this company apart, you’ll find I’m not so easy to push around."

His lips twitched into a half-smile. "There’s the Emily I remember. Always so fiery."

The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine, and I hated that my body still reacted to him after all this time.

"Let’s stick to the topic at hand," I said firmly, ignoring the heat pooling in my stomach.

"Fine," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"For some reason," he announced coolly, with a challenging lift of his brows, "I rather thought you might appreciate what this conversation might bring."

"I can assure you, I have no desire to be in any such place," I fired back.

"So you haven't wondered even for a second what happened? Why I supposedly cheated on you?"

"You have no right to ask me that."

"I have every right."

"Who do you think you are?" I exploded. "The King of England?"

"I think I am the man who appeared for our wedding. I think you are the woman who did not appear for it."

"For that, I think you would have been more than happy!"

"Happy?" He cursed, looking as stunned as I felt. "For what?"

"Why are you asking me all this?! Why are we discussing the foolishness of the past?"

Grayson smirked and studied his nails. "I do not consider my heart and feelings foolishness. And maybe that's what makes us different."

"I like you much better with your mouth closed," I said in a voice so bewildered it could’ve been used in a comic.

How dare he?

Calm down, Emily. This is just him playing with your feelings.

He can't win.

I won't let him.

"I don't want to talk about the past, Grayson," I said stonily.

"Hmmn." He rose slowly, towering over me even from across the desk. He paused a bit.

"I kept the pastor there until late that night. I wouldn’t let him leave. Does that sound like a man who didn’t want you? Does that sound like a man who was only marrying you to get to your sister? Or a man who would cheat on you with your sister?"

"What are you talking about? I saw the pictures," I said. "You were certainly a good liar before, but now... saying all of this just to get back in my bed... wow, you’ve gotten better, Mr. Cole," I exclaimed bitterly.

"Make no mistake, Princess. I’ve long grown out of my childish infatuation for you. You’re nothing to me."

"Then why are you telling me about that night?"

"Oh, I just want you to know the truth. You can call it my little gift to you." He stepped back, his expression unreadable.

"What truth?"

"That’s for you to find out yourself," he said, his tone cool and distant now.

I crossed my arms. "Fine. You bought the company. What now?"

He exhaled slowly. "Board meeting is tomorrow. I’ll be named CEO."

I closed my eyes and desperate panic bubbled up inside me.

"You can’t do this. Please, Grayson." My voice cracked on the last word, and I hated myself for it. "Dad’s heart can’t take it."

He sighed, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair.

"I didn’t come here to be the villain, Emily. I came to offer a solution."

I stared at him, my heart pounding.

"A solution?"

"Yes," he said, leaning closer to my desk.

His presence was overwhelming, charging the air between us with tension.

"I can continue as a silent partner, and your dad never even has to know anything about this."

Relief washed over me—but it was short-lived. I waited for the catch.

"But," he continued, his voice dropping, "it’ll come at a price."

My stomach twisted.

"What price?"

He leaned forward, placing his hands on the desk, his face inches from mine.

"I need my wife back."

The words hung in the air, heavy and impossible.

I blinked, certain I’d misheard.

"What?"

"You heard me," he said, his tone calm, almost casual. "Marry me, and Daddy dearest remains CEO."